Was that the Rutgers Scarlet Knights out there in Louisville last week or the Miami Dolphins?

It was certainly hard to tell with the way that QBMohamed Sanu was running the show out of the Wildcat. Sanu rushed 18 times for 148 yards and two touchdowns, absolutely slicing and dicing the Cardinals defense. We’ve seen Sanu’s inclusion in the Wildcat formation become a steady drip over the past few games, but against Louisville, all the stops were pulled out.

Aside from Sanu, the Scarlet Knights’ running game rebounded from a sub-par performance against Syracuse. RBJoe Martinek ran 22 times for 90 yards and a touchdown, as well. True freshman QBTom Savage was 10-for-16 for 163 yards and a touchdown pass, but most of that was done in the first half. He only completed one pass in the second half. Senior WRTim Brown continues to be the No. 1 target Savage hoped he’d be, hauling in seven catches for 124 yards and a touchdown against the Cardinals.

WHEN WEST VIRGINIA HAS THE BALL

It’s all about the three skill players on offense: QB Jarrett Brown, RB Noel Devine, WR Jock Sanders. In replacing one of the Mountaineers greatest signal-callers in Pat White, Brown has been hot and cold this season. One of his best attributes is his size (6-4, 223 pounds). When he starts to move out of the pocket, he’s a tough player to bring down.

But unlike White, Brown is more of a throwing quarterback rather than a runner. As for Devine, Rutgers coach Greg Schiano has likened him to former Lions great Barry Sanders in terms of quickness and vision. Devine — a former YouTube sensation — is one of the rare electric backs in the nation who can turn a 5-yard loss into an 80-yard touchdown. Sanders is in a similar vein as Devine — quick and agile — but in the past five weeks (with the exception of 42 yards against Cincinnati), he has seen his yardage decrease from 81 against Connecticut to 15 against Pittsburgh.

SPECIAL TEAMS

For the first time in what seems like years, Rutgers’ special teams didn’t make any impact plays vs. Louisville. No blocked kicks by Devin McCourty or Joe Lefeged, or returns by Sanu. Just a run-of-the-mill performance. After doing something spectacular each week, it almost became commonplace to see Rutgers’ special teams unit pull a rabbit out of their hat.

HISTORY

These two rivals have faced off dating back to the 1916 season, when Rutgers hosted West Virginia and the two teams played to a 0-0 tie. Since then, the series has been all Blue and Gold: West Virginia has won 30 of the 36 games, with two being ties. Rutgers has lost the past 14.

YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW, BUT ...

Since we’re talking about Rutgers’ 14-game losing streak against the
Mountaineers, the quarterback that won the last game for the Scarlet
Knights over West Virginia will be in the building today. Ray Lucas,
who won that 17-12 game back in 1994, is currently a part of the
Rutgers radio team on 710-AM, WOR.

ONE MORE THING

Want to know just how lopsided the West Virginia-Rutgers series has been since 1980? Not only have the Mountaineers won 26 of the 29 games, but West Virginia has won 14 of those games by 20 or more points — and six of them by 30 or more points. The average margin of victory by the Mountaineers? 23.2 points. However, in the past five seasons of the Greg Schiano era, Rutgers has only lost by more than a touchdown once — 31-3 at home in 2007.

FOUR DOWNS WITH TE SHAMAR GRAVES

1. Has the second half of the season been a redemption of sorts?

"I’m going out there and just showing Coach that I am consistent, I can
be consistent. That I am a guy that needs to be out there. That I make
plays for the team. I think I have definitely proven that on a daily
basis."

2. What changed during the season?

"I think the way that I am as a person, I like to study myself and
critique myself and see every day what I have to do to get better. I
can’t really say it clicked one day, but the first week it (getting
demoted) happened to me I said, ‘This can happen to anybody.’ So I got
on my grind and did what I had to do to get back."

3. How have you turned it around?

"Practice, film work, getting my body right. All of that stuff.
A combination of everything and doing what Coach tells me to do and
going out there proving it and performing."

4. So when you got hit against Louisville, did part of you think it would be over?

"When I got hit, the first thing I was thinking of was ‘Did I catch the
ball?’ Then I went down and I wasn’t even thinking. I don’t even know
if could’ve held onto the ball — I barely held onto myself. But he got
me good, and I don’t remember thinking about anything else. I just
remember trying to get up and feeling like my whole (right) side (was)
in pain."